Frabill’s Jiggler Refines Long-rodding
OutdoorHub 11.20.12
Frabill’s Jiggler Long Rod goes back to the future to reinvent the modern day ice angling
There’s a back-to-the-future movement afoot in ice fishing. For over a decade, there’s been a virtual space-race to see who could develop the most sensitive, petite-length ice fishing rod. So sensitivity’s been perfected, but at the sacrifice of length –that sort of rod length needed for soft, sweeping hooksets and dabbling at distances out on the open ice.
So here comes Frabill riding in on the white wintry horse. For 2012-13, the technical tinkerers offer up the Jiggler Long Rod series. Kept, is that “feel,” while bringing aboard length for technique and species specific performance.
But the Jiggler’s credentials don’t end there. Now factor in that the line actually runs through the blank. Yes, indeed, the fishing line tautly tunnels through the rod. By doing so, wind is negated – no more bowing of the line in a stiff breeze. Moreover, the line-through feature keeps continuous contact between the fishing line and blank, maximizing feel.
Further bettering the Jiggler’s capacity to telegraph strikes, the wondrous wand sports a spring bobber at its tip. Watch for strikes. Feel for them. Either way, the fish is about to have a bad day.
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Innovation doesn’t end there, either. To finely feed line through the blank, Frabill has incorporated a built-in composite reel on the user end. Perfectly balanced with the rod, the reel feeds line straight off the spool, no spinning, to eliminate line-twist and uncontrolled lure spins. The finishing touch is an internal dollop of Frabill’s freeze-fighting Sub-Zero lubrication.
The “long-rodding” technique, as it’s widely known, is a staple amongst tournament enthusiasts, anglers fishing shallow southern Ice Belt waters, as well as crafty Europeans who have imported the style. One of those ice fishing immigrants is Polish hardwater phenom Jacek Gawlinski. He has this his to say about the Jiggler Long Rods: “Finally, a rod that fishes like I do. That’s actively moving from hole to hole. Watching the line and spring bobber for any signs of a bite. And having complete control in shallow water.
“Makes me feel right at home, Europe or North America.”
The Jiggler Long Rod is available in four lengths and actions: 48-inch UL, 58-inch L, 54-inch UL and 54-inch L.
